VIJAYAWADA: The entrance of the cemetery was just 5 feet away from where they stood, but it could have been 5 km if not 500 km as they could not cross the distance, with police blocking their way. With no other option left, the family members and relatives took the body and scaled the compound wall of the cemetery to perform the last rites, cursing their bad luck and ‘adamant’ attitude of the police. The incident took place near Punnami ghat under Bhavanipuram police station limits on Saturday.
The bereaved family belonging to Pezzonipet faced this bizarre situation when the police performing duties at Punnami ghat junction stopped their vehicle carrying the body and did not allow it to reach the Christian cemetery for performing the last rites of their relative, a middle-aged man (cemetery guards refused to share the information), who died of cardiac arrest.
According to the eyewitnesses, family members, along with their friends brought the body in a ‘Mahaprasthanam’ vehicle operated by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) around 1 pm.
To reach the main entrance of the cemetery, the vehicle should cross the barricades arranged by the police in the middle of the junction. With more number of devotees thronging Kanaka Durga temple to have darshan of the deity adorned as Sri Saraswathi Devi, higher officials directed the duty police not to allow heavy vehicles in the area.
As the vehicle carrying the body approached the point, police allegedly gave the signal to the driver to reverse it. “Despite pleading with them (the police) to allow their vehicle into the cemetery to perform the last rites of the deceased, the duty police behaved mercilessly and asked them to leave the place. What is really pathetic is the entrance of the cemetery was just five steps away from the barricaded place,” an eyewitness said.
With no option left, the family members scaled the cemetery wall carrying the coffin and performed the last rites. “The tall claims of friendly policing seem to be just on papers. As in the case of an ambulance, you can allow us. It’s nothing but insulting the person who is no more,” a relative reportedly argued with the police.
However, the police claiming innocence said there was no iota of truth in the news circulating in the media.“We did not argue with them. Since their location (the place for burying the body) is close to the wall, they climbed it and performed the last rites,” the duty police stated.
When TNIE took the issue to the notice of City Police Commissioner Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, he said that an inquiry would be conducted into the incident. He assured that action would be taken against the policemen concerned if found guilty.
“I have told my Special Branch people to conduct an inquiry. We are still ascertaining the facts. We have received a few complaints that policemen drafted from other places are behaving adamantly with the devotees and the locals,” the Police Commissioner said.